Melo Wants to Be a Facilitator in Knicks’ New Offense

We were wrong. He was really a point guard-hopeful trapped in the body of a forward, gifted with the offensive chops of an unabashed, inside-out, 20-plus-shots-per-night chucker. But after 11 years of shooting and scoring, more shooting and scoring, and more shooting and scoring still, Melo is ready for a change (another reason to add to this list).

The New York Knicks superstar has lost some weight, as we here at The Hoop Doctors already discussed. Apparently that weight loss is the direct result of Anthony’s investment in Muggsy Bogues’ unknown line of basketball DVD workshops entitle, So, You Think You Can Be An NBA Point Guard? desire to get in peak condition for the Knicks’ newly implemented triangle offense.

Carmelo Anthony took a $5 million pay cut on his new contract, but it appears he took a bigger cut in weight. According to an Anthony confidant, Anthony has done so in order to resemble his physique as a rookie with the Nuggets and to be more viable in Phil Jackson’s triangle offense. …

“He wants to be as athletic as he was when he was a rookie,’’ the confidant told The Post. “Plus he wants to be a facilitator in the triangle and speed will help that.’’…

According to a source, the Harris camp was told Anthony was working out three times a day, doing basketball drills, agility drills, weights and yoga.

With regard to his diet, Anthony has followed LeBron James’ lead in a mostly no-carb diet. …

Because former coach Mike Woodson played Anthony a lot at power forward the past two seasons, it would have been unwise to drop too much weight. However, team president Phil Jackson sees Anthony more as the starting small forward this season.

Trimming down is rarely considered a bad thing, no matter who you are. Eating disorders are freaking awful, but for most people, losing weight the right way, without any sort of addiction or methodological abuse, is a healthy choice.

In the NBA, it’s different. You need to be strong. The guys you’re playing are strong. Not everyone can look and move like the wiry Kevin Durant, who, while strong in his own way, sometimes looks like he can be snapped in half.

The triangle won’t call for Anthony to bruise down low as much, especially if Phil Jackson sees him as more of a small forward. And if he, in fact, wants to become a point forward—something Mike D’Antoni was hoping he could become in 2011-12, by the way—there’s a need for speed and end-to-end agility. Slimming down should help him there.

How will his new weight-loss results affect his play? Well, per Berman, shooting legend Reggie Miller says it will “prolong” his career. That’s a good thing, since Anthony’s past 30 and working on a five-year deal. But can he maintain his usual standard and expected level of offensive aptitude? Can he actually thrive within the triangle as a scorer and distributor?

Actual, meaningful basketball will tell.

Scales that inform Melo his carb avoidance is working will not.

Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.

He certainly has the skill set to. It all comes down to his passing. If he starts deferring more, their offense is going to be scary good within this design.

ERNWOP64

REMEMBER,MIKE,KOLBY ALL ONE ON ONE PLAYER THAT THRIVED IN THE TRIANGLE.MELO IS THAT KIND OF SCORER.

Marcus

Melo is showing maturity, smarts and determination. We know he has the skills. Great look Melo.

Dan

The character evolution he has undergone since arriving in New York is quite staggering.

AirunDevon

Yes he was a money hungry, self centered player when he came to NY. This summer proved he was no longer in it for the money he is all about winning….#sarcasm#MeloWillRegret

Knicks95

You still mad Melo never joined the bulls? Oh wait your just gonna reply with “the bulls are better off without Melo anyway” line like every other salty bulls fan.

AirunDevon

Never that. We would have been better if he came. But we will survive and are improved. It’s only us and the Cavs in the East for the next few years.

Alexis Floran

That’s only going to be true for this year. Calderon going to bring Marc Gasol next year. Then we’ll see who is truely going to compete against LeBron and Co.

Kevin Garnett

Really i thought eight teams enter the playoffs and anything can happen in a 7 game series

michael evans

Melo definitely making the right moves. Excited to see him thrive in the triangle offense

Dan

If there’s someone who isn’t a fully healthy Kobe Bryant you want to see in Jackson’s famed triangle, it’s certainly Melo.

mase21fly

HGH testing this year….but this will help regardless.

mados123

I’m glad to see this intelligent approach to making basketball and team decisions. Rather than a forceful approach and ‘sticking to what you know,’ (i.e. – Woodson’s approach), you are seeing a more nuanced and cerebral approach that takes all aspects of basketball, injury avoidance and strategy into consideration. As said before, this will inevitable help career longevity and include a style that promotes teamwork rather than performances such as 1 for 12 shooting in game winning opportunity situations. Remember, Anthony is a student of chess as well so I am sure he appreciates the change. Maybe now, he won’t have to wear his rib guards and will provide even more mobility!

Dan

Some good points. Mobility will be key if he wants to be more of a distributor; allows him to use angles better off passes and the like.

Anthony Strano

It’s interesting because if you watched Jeremy Tyler operate in the triangle this summer, it was a lot of the positioning Melo will find him self in. Elbow jumpers are Melos specialty. Getting out behind the arc in an offense like this will require him to make quick cuts with the ball moving the way it should be. Not to mention back door cuts to the rim, the ISO offense he played most of his career will be a lot different then this one. Everyone touching the ball and everyone in motion all the time is gunna be a really good addition to this team. Melo is gunna find himself facilitator a lot too at the high post so working on his vision and overall passing will be key to making this offense work and IF it does then there’s no reason in my mind why the Knicks can’t win the Atlantic